Welcome to summertime, which began Tuesday with the summer “solstice,” a Latin word for “if our AC goes out, call 911.”

So if Tuesday seemed like a really long day … it was. The longest. Because of the way the Earth and Sun were situated — with the Earth tilting on one of its poles and other complicated astronomical stuff that you already know so why should I explain — Tuesday was the longest day and shortest night of the year.

If you are married and came home and said, “Honey, it’s been a long day,” you might have been figuratively correct but you were most definitely literally correct. In other words, for once in your marriage, you were right, even if you didn’t mean to be.

Another reason why summer is good.

Song after song has been written and sung about summertime.

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…”

 “In the good ol’ summertime…”

 “The summer wind/came blowin’ in/from across the sea/It lingered there/to touch your hair/and walk with me…”

 “We’ve been havin’ fun all summer long…” – Beach Boys, of course.

And — also of course — the late, great Roger Miller wrote this, a favorite because, well, Roger Miller …

 “In the summertime

When all the leaves and trees are green

And the redbird sings ‘I’ll be blue

’Cause you don’t want my love…”

Clever Roger Miller with the colors, green and red and blue. But it’s a sad summer song, and sad is not what summer is about.

It’s complicated now, when school starts and when school stops. Makes no sense.

But in a simpler time, the school system owned our adolescent butts from Labor Day until Memorial Day. Owned us. That was understood. Two days for Thanksgiving. Christmas was a couple weeks, the Glory Days of Wintertime Kiddom. There was an Easter Day or two. Maybe a Presidents Day.

But basically, they had you where they wanted you. In front of a chalkboard. Labor Day until Memorial Day.

Fine.

But we knew that glorious summertime was ours. Memorial Day passed, and we were free to run barefoot for three months. No questions asked.

We worked, sure. Depending on where you grew up, there was grass to cut, tractors to drive.

But there was also baseball to play. Afternoons at the pool. Bikes to ride from daylight to dusk.

Watermelon and sweat and smiles. And you could go to bed Sunday night without thinking of homeroom Monday. Monday was just another “free” day to be a kid, to drink from the water hose (wait a minute ’til it gets cold!), to get sunburned, to hear your momma calling you in for supper.

It’s hot, for sure. Supposed to be more than 100 this weekend. But I can take off enough to stay cool; can’t put on enough in the wintertime to stay warm.

I’ll take summer any day.

It’s been 25 years since I was out walking and met a guy from Up North washing his car. He’d just moved here. He mentioned in passing how hot it was. I nodded and told him it sure was and kept walking.

It was only April. I didn’t have the heart to tell him…

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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By: Royal Alexander

Kneeling to protest the National Anthem endorsed but reasonable comparisons between Jan 6^th and 2020 BLM riots punished

This past week the ‘ Woke’ NFL again demonstrated how asleep it is to the reason for its unpopularity and lost viewership.

Coach Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator of the Washington Commandeers (formerly the Redskins) stated:

“A simple question,” Del Rio said on June 8. “Why are we not looking into [the riots at the protests], if we’re going to talk about [the Capitol riot]. Why are we not looking into those things? … I see images on the TV, people’s livelihoods are being destroyed, businesses are being burned down, no problem. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and we’re going to make that a major deal.”

He had also tweeted on June 6th “Would love to understand the ‘whole story’ about why the summer of riots, looting, burning and the destruction of personal property is never discussed but this is ?? #CommonSense.”

In response to those comments, Commander’s head football coach, Ron Rivera, levied a $100,000 fine against Coach Del Rio.

WOW. That’s quite a punishment for merely asking a question about a current, highly relevant issue in our country.

Why was former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick allowed—if not encouraged—to protest alleged police brutality but Del Rio is punished for merely asking a question and highlighting a clear inconsistency?

Let’s look back at the 2020 Summer of Riots.

Recall the orgy of violence, rioting, looting, murder and hate speech by Antifa and BLM that was merely deemed “peaceful protesting” by the Democrat Party and the national Left. The 2020 riots caused injuries too numerous to count including more than 2000 injuries to police, 18 deaths, and nearly $2 billion in property damage due to the looting and arson.

Recall the enormous damage and destruction of hundreds of historic monuments and statues across the country; or the church in D.C. that was nearly destroyed.

It is simply beyond dispute that Antifa and Black Lives Matter engaged in domestic terrorism.

Was any of this emphatically denounced by Joe Biden or the Democrat Party and the national Left? No, it was encouraged as a political tool to be used against President Trump.

We were told that the kneeling in sports venues across the country was “in protest of racial injustice.” (Please recall how former NFL quarterback, Tim Tebow, was harshly criticized for kneeling in prayer while Colin Kaepernick remains widely praised).

We quickly moved past demonstrations protesting the death of George Floyd and calling for police reforms. That early effort, universally supported as it was, was replaced by the rioting and destruction we witnessed daily in 2020.

Let’s compare that to Jan. 6th.

We should remember that there were comparatively few lawbreakers while over a million of our fellow countrymen that day marched, sang, and prayed for their country. I have friends locally who attended, as did many others across Louisiana, as well as family in Virginia, and they didn’t plan or intend for one moment to do anything but exercise their freedoms of speech, expression and free exercise of religion while peacefully making their views known. Those guarantees are as iron clad as any that exist in our Constitution.

A fraction of those at the march have been charged with trespassing, assaulting law enforcement officers and criminal damage to property. Many have either pled their cases or they will be tried, and evidence will be presented, and an impartial jury of their peers will decide their guilt or innocence beyond a reasonable doubt.

So, why haven’t the Summer of Riots lawbreakers been arrested and prosecuted as the Jan 6th individuals have?

Because the preferred narrative of the Woke Left is to lionize protestors of “police brutality” while unfairly smearing and maligning the million plus patriots who showed up on Jan 6th, whom they deem racist and bigoted.

Coach Del Rio simply underscored that hypocrisy and has paid a steep price for it, financially and reputationally.

If the NFL, as a so-called “private” corporation, wants to be free to censor some speech while allowing speech it favors, it may do so. However, it needs to surrender the litany of enormous financial benefits it derives from the anti-trust exemptions it receives under state and federal law.

Until it does so, it needs to be required to allow all speech as a quasi-public government entity under our 1st Amendment.

Royal Alexander is an attorney, writer, and former politician in his native Shreveport, Louisiana. In 2007, he was the Republican candidate for Louisiana Attorney General. In addition to his law practice, Alexander is an opinion writer, a guest lecturer at public events and education forums, and a frequent guest on various TV and radio outlets.

The views and opinions expressed in the My Opinion article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Winn Parish Journal. Any content provided by the authors is of their opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

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OPPORTUNITY: Chief Financial Officer

Outpatient Medical Center (Natchitoches Headquarters) is looking for a fulltime CFO to join our leadership team and report to our CEO and Board of Directors. The CFO is responsible for fulfilling all financial and collections priorities/requirements of the organization and to effectively manage and direct assigned staff. Must be willing to join a new leadership team and continue improvements initiated over the past two years – necessary to rebuild an organization once seriously threatened financially.
A successful candidate will not only be knowledgeable but also an excellent communicator with the ability to clearly explain fiscal and budgetary matters to executives and policy-makers.

Must be exceptionally organized, assure accuracy of reports and tasks, and meet deadlines in a proactive manner. A successful candidate will have a record of highly responsible CFO experience in a healthcare setting, managing and accounting for multiple grants and revenue sources. OMC will also consider progressively responsible candidates who have extensive FQHC experience with audits, budgeting, management reports, accounting, billing, and supervision.

Resumes are being accepted by email to hr@outpatientmedical.org. Confidential inquiries may be made to the CEO, Dr. Mark Guidry, at 318-357-2055.

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WINN:
Jack Madison Fluitt, Jr.
October 23, 1955 – June 16, 2022
Service: Wednesday, June 22 at 10 am at Full Gospel Temple in Jonesboro

NATCHITOCHES:
Isabel Sylvie Delphin Arceneaux
May 7, 1927 – June 20, 2022
Service: Saturday, June 25 at 11 am at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Iberville

Virginia Lou “Gingie” Trieschmann Pierson
February 6, 1922 – June 16, 2022
Service: Saturday, June 25 at 1 at First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches

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Originally reported by the Natchitoches Parish Journal

The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a homicide that took place Sunday afternoon on North Melrose Avenue.

On June 19, 2022, around 2:13 p.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department responded to the 100 block of North Melrose Avenue in reference to gunshots in the area. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located LaDarious Scott (B/M, 22 y.o.a. of Winnfield) who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. LaDarious Scott was pronounced deceased by the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office as a result of his injuries.

While investigators were on the scene they were able to learn that Dave Bigford, the suspect, (B/M, 24 y.o.a of Mount Olive, NC) forced his girlfriend into a vehicle at gunpoint and fled the area prior to officers’ arrival. Detectives notified surrounding law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the suspect and the vehicle he was driving. Law enforcement in Vernon Parish located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop that led to a lengthy vehicle chase. During the vehicle pursuit, his girlfriend was able to jump free from the vehicle in Alexandria. Dave Bigford eventually crashed his vehicle into a ditch in Rapides Parish. While in the ditch Dave Bigford was located with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound and was taken to a local hospital.

Dave Bigford is charged with Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Kidnapping.

The Natchitoches Police Department will release more details as they become available.

If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective Davanta Stevenson at (318) 357-3817. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by downloading the P3 Tips app on your smart phone or by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $2,000 for the arrest of an offender.

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By: Kaycie Kile
WPJ Reporter

Some of us seek salt and sun beyond our four walls, and others dream of seclusion with 24/7 air conditioning. One individual’s summer pleasure could easily be the absolute nightmare of the next, so it’s reassuring to see our community cater to the former, the latter, and even the grey area concerning both points of view. We’ve had our fairs, festivals, parish library programs, outdoor movies, and now my favorite, book clubs. 

‘Overbooked’ of Winnfield (est. fall of 2021), co-founded by local bibliomaniacs Nikita Etheridge and Megan Rackley, had their first ‘catch up’ meeting this past Thursday (June 16th). Fellow club members met after several weeks of intermission to accommodate the family and fans of the recent ball season. Despite the lapse of time, warm conversation and laughter quickly blossomed before exploring the different experiences of two stand-alone historical titles;” The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner and “The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan” by Stephanie Thornton. 

The first book to be dissected that evening, “Tiger Queens” by Thornton, doesn’t waste time immersing you deep within the twelfth-century felt-tent cities of the complex yet ruthless warlord Genghis Khan and his golden family. The strength of the women we shadow inside these pages creates such an emotional and fascinating hold that it’ll have you thinking on it weeks after you’ve finished. “The Lost Apothecary” by Penner is an atmospheric and suspenseful parallel that winds you through the back alleys of the late seventeenth century to present-day London. A meld of murder, loss, and rediscovery that brings three lives to collision across centuries—all because of a little mishandled glass vial. Whether you’re piling your summer reading list high or just seeking an escape you won’t have to travel far for, both books are worthy adventures to consider. 

So if you need out of the house, or perhaps you’ve convinced yourself it’s time to get out of your comfort zone, remember Overbooked has an open door policy and has already lined up Thursday, July 14th for the next page-turning encounter. For more details regarding the next meeting or questions of interest, please see the public group named “Overbooked, Winnfield book club” on Facebook. Keep in mind that if this all sound a little overwhelming, or maybe you just like knowing all your options, we’ll be taking a closer look at The Social Coffee House’s newly established book club meetings next week. So stay tuned; a little variety never hurt anyone!

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Date: 6-14-22
Name: Charles L Bush
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 43
Charge: Child endangerment (x2), Domestic abuse, and battery

Date: 6-14-22
Name: Brandy L Smith
Address: Winfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Age: 39
Charge: Theft

THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AS PUBLIC INFORMATION. PERSONS NAMED OR SHOWN IN PHOTOGRAPHS OR VIDEO AS SUSPECTS IN A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, OR ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH A CRIME, HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTED OF ANY CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

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The Winn Parish Police Jury will meet for a Regular Meeting Monday, June 20, 2022, at the Winn Parish Courthouse Room 112, located at 119 West Main Street, Winnfield, La. at 5:00 PM.

AGENDA

I. Call to Order.
II. Invocation and Pledge.
III. Amendments or deletions.
IV. Adoption of Agenda.
V. Adoption of Minutes-May 16, 2022-Regular Meeting and May 25, 2022-Special Called Meeting.
VI. Announcements and Comments.

1. Mr. Perry Holmes, Road Superintendent-to give a road update.

VII. GUESTS:

None.

VIII. BUSINESS:

(1)Mr. Kirk Miles-Motion to approve monthly invoices. –Motion to adopt a Resolution to assist the Village of Sikes by grading Caney Street and replacing street sign at Second Street and Hwy 126. (2)Mr. Author Robinson-Motion to remove from the Winn Parish Road System 6,464′ of Henry Sanders Road between McDavid Road and 911 address 458 Henry Sanders Road. 
(3) Mrs. Deionne Carpenter-Motion to accept quote from Albritton Service Co. in amount of $13,750 to replace ale in Clerk of Court office.
–Motion to add Risk Control Procedures pertaining to Cyber Crime & Deception to the Winn Parish Personnel and Operational Manual.
( 4) Mr. Joshua McAllister-Motion to adopt a Resolution to cover all costs, inclusive of construction cost over State funds for roadway reconstruction on Lum Fox and Zion Hill Church Roads.
–Motion to enter into a Contract between the Winn Parish Police Jury and DRC Emergency Services, LLC for debris pickup.

IX. Announcements and Comments:

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The Winn Parish Police Jury / Saline Lake Game and Fish Preserve Commission and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the scheduled drawdown of Saline Lake, in Natchitoches and Winn parishes, starting approximately June 1, 2022. The primary purpose is to control the growth of giant Salvinia during the upcoming summer months when growth potential is at its highest. The 2021 WLF aquatic vegetation management plan can be found on the LDWF website (Fisheries-Publications and Brochures-Inland Vegetation Management Plans-Saline Lake, Winn Parish).

The lake will dewater at a rate of 3 to 4 inches per day until it reaches a target drawdown level of 8 feet below the normal pool stage. The control gates will close on approximately October 1, 2022, to allow the lake to refill for fall, winter and early spring recreational activities.

During the drawdown, an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 acres of water will remain in the lake. Boaters can still access the main waterbody from the Mulligan Inn Boat Ramp with small craft, but caution is advised. Numerous additional obstructions will be present due to the lower water level.

This action is a necessary component of LDWF’s integrated management plan to control overabundant aquatic vegetation growth and improve access to recreational activities. An annual cycle of high and low water fluctuation can provide beneficial effects similar to a natural overflow lake system.

During the drawdown, property owners have the option to take advantage of the low water to repair boat docks, seawalls, boat slips, etc. However, a Corp of Engineer permit is required from the USACE Regulatory Branch for any such activities in and around Saline Lake before any work is started. Basically, a shovel cannot be placed in the lake bottom until a permit is obtained.

Saline Lake is considered a Section 10 waterbody, and any work conducted over, in, or under the lake would require permit authorization from the Regulatory Office of the USACE. Outside of the lake itself, any dredging or filling activities within a wetland or stream may also require authorization prior to the impact. You may contact your local Police Jury / Parish Government or the Saline Lake Game and Fish Preserve Commission for help with your permit.

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WINN:
Willie Cordelia Weatherford
November 17, 1925 – June 15, 2022
Service: Monday, June 20 at 10 am in Old Union Cemetery

NATCHITOCHES:
Virginia Lou “Gingie” Trieschmann Pierson
February 6, 1922 – June 16, 2022
Service: Saturday, June 25 at 1 at First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches

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Juneteenth is an annual family oriented event that brings recognition of African American freedom that took place in 1865.

There will be lots of activities, food, entertainment and vendors at this family fun event at the Winn Parish Fair Grounds on Saturday, June 18th. A parade will start at 2 PM at Allen St and S. St. John and the event will begin at 3 PM. 

IMPaCT In Da Field looks forward to hosting this event each year with the hopes of bringing awareness about our heritage to our community.

Get more information via Facebook at IMPaCT In Da Field Facebook

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Meet Mindy S.

Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge exists to provide men and women with an effective residential, biblically-based solution to life-controlling problems. Our purpose is to produce graduates who function responsibly and productively in society, and who have healthy relationships in the workplace, family, church and community.

Adult & Teen Challenge is one of the largest and most successful accredited programs of its kind with over 1000 residential locations worldwide. Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge was founded by Greg and Abigail Dill in 1987. Over the last 35 years, we have grown to 8 campuses statewide, with the ability to accommodate men, women, and women with their children.

WHAT IS STUDENT SPONSORSHIP?

Students often come into Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge with little or no hope in life. They have burned every bridge and lost almost everything due to drug abuse and other crimes. Most times, they have little outside help supporting them during this time; therefore, we do not charge a monthly tuition. If you would like to help offset these costs, you can sponsor a student for as little as $35 a month. You can also sponsor a child that is enrolled here with their mother for an additional $15 per child. Your sponsorship means that they have someone who cares and is invested in their success!

As a monthly sponsor, you can expect:

• A packet with information about your student
• Monthly updates
• The opportunity to write letters to your student
• The opportunity to send care packages to your student
• You can pray for them
• You will receive a personal invitation to attend their Graduation Ceremony

For more information about becoming a sponsor visit https://www.louisianateenchallenge.com/sponsorship/

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By: Dr. James Lee

Loretta Pleasant was born on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia. She was one of nine children. She was four years old when her mother died giving birth to her tenth child. Her father, unable to care for all the children after her wife’s death, moved them to Clover, Virginia and the children were divided up among relatives. She ended up with her maternal grandfather who was also raising her cousin, David. They lived in poverty but were taken care of. They were raised in a log cabin that once housed slaves on the plantation that her white great-grandfather and great-uncle owned. She attended a segregated black school until she was in sixth grade when she had to drop out to help support her family. She worked the fields of the tobacco plantation and took care of the garden and farm animals.

By all accounts, Loretta was growing into a beautiful young woman. She was generous, hard-working, and fun-loving. Family members recall her being meticulous about her physical appearance, particularly her nails which she always kept covered in fresh red polish. She drew the attention of the young men. Reports include one boy attempting to kill himself by jumping through the ice in a lake after she jilted him and again with a knife after she was married to someone else. In 1935, at the age of 14, she gave birth to her first child Lawrence, whose father was David, her first cousin she grew up with. The couple had a second child in 1939, daughter Elsie, who had congenital syphilis and epilepsy and was labeled touched by the community. She ultimately ended up being institutionalized and dying at the Crownsville State Hospital. She married David on April 10, 1941, and shortly after moved with her Husband to Maryland, outside Baltimore, where he went to work for Bethlehem Steel. Together, they had 3 more children.

In January of 1951, Loretta sought help for a “knot” in her womb. She had given birth to her last son four and a half months before and had a severe hemorrhage at that time. She was referred to Johns Hopkins, where she had a cervical biopsy and was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Treatment at that time was placing radium in the cervix and radiation treatments. She was unable to keep the cancer secret due to the daily radiation treatments she required. During these radiation treatments, she had additional tissue removed. Although she tried to return to her usual life, she had burns from the radiation and told her family that she felt a blackness spreading inside her. Unfortunately, she was right. Her cancer had spread and was deemed inoperable. She died on October 4, 1951, after a difficult battle. Loretta’s story and struggle although tragic, were not unique for her time as many of the advancements we have seen in the late 20th Century had yet to be discovered.

Up until this time, doctors and researchers had been unable to sustain human cells, called culture, in the lab. Many had tried and failed. Ironically, many of the advancements in medicine that were not available for Loretta at that time were based on the ability to grow a human cell line in the lab. However, Loretta’s doctor told her she would become immortalized and that brought her some comfort at the end.

How you may ask? Lorretta Pleasant was also known as Henrietta, and her married name was Lacks.

Henrietta Lacks biopsies of her cancer were saved, cultured, grown in labs and became known as HeLa cells, after the first two letters of her first and last name. These cells are literally immortal. Today, billions of HeLa cells are in use in laboratories around the world. Why is this significant? Again, from these cells, many scientific breakthroughs have been realized. In 1953, HeLa cells laid the groundwork for polio vaccines, in 1956, they helped to understand the effects of X-rays on human cells and the development of modern cancer research methods. In 1964, HeLa cells were taken aboard some of the very first capsules in outer space. Also, HeLa cells helped study potential treatments for certain blood cancers and sickle cell anemia. In 1973 it helped determine how salmonella causes infections. In 1985, it was used to help fight cervical cancer and its relationship to the HPV virus, as well as drug studies to slow cancer growth. In 1988, HeLa helped advance our understanding of the HIV virus. In 1989, HeLa was used to study how cells age. In 1993, HeLa helped the study of how tuberculosis makes people sick on a molecular level. In this century, HeLa has been directly utilized in the research that has resulted in three separate Nobel Prizes. HeLa was also some of the first human cells to be genetically mapped. These are just a few of the many ways that Henrietta Lacks has furthered the advancement of science and medicine.

One last thing the HeLa cells did was to help re-evaluate the relationship of research participants in the research process, changing the way consent is given and how donor tissue is used while protecting privacy. Amazingly, it would be many years before the family was even aware of the importance of Henrietta’s cells. At that time informed consent was neither required nor sought from patients or families. In fact, her family had no say in how or when her cells were used and as they became incredibly useful and popular for research, her relatives received no financial benefit and continued to live with limited healthcare access.

For more information about this story, read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.

Dr. James Lee serves as the Coroner of Winn Parish. He is a General Surgeon and Surgical Oncologist who has been practicing in Winnfield for over ten years. Dr. Lee attended the University of Colorado for his medical degree. He completed his residency in Surgery at the University of Oklahoma before completing a fellowship in Surgical Oncology and Endoscopy at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY. Dr. Lee and his wife Scarlett live in Winnfield with their son and are active in the community.

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By: Reba Phelps

As I gently pulled the crispy new multi-colored tissue paper from the slightly recycled large gift bag (my mom and dad would reuse a gift bag until the bottom fell out) I could see the outer workings of a framed print. My parents were so thoughtful and would always buy a gift for every occasion that crossed our paths. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas, Valentine’s Day… you name it, they would recognize it.

This particular occasion that they were gifting was a housewarming gift. This was the very first house that my ex-husband and I purchased about one year after marriage. It was the perfect starter home in a quiet and established neighborhood that was chock full of mature shade trees and beautiful homes. It was a fixer upper but we had nothing but time to make it our own.

The bag was slightly heavy and the framed print was oblong, so it was an awkward fit into the well worn bag. As I fumbled around in a flurry of gift tissue I was finally able to inspect the print. The delicate, gold faux wooden frame encased some pastel lavender painted words that read, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord”.

After it was fully inspected, all I could think was, “Where am I going to hang this…it doesn’t match anything in my new home.” I never said I wasn’t an ungrateful brat during those younger years.

We had gone to great lengths to replace the 1970s flooring, painting the walls and replacing wallpaper with the most up to date styles. Our new home was meticulously decorated in a classic blue and white, Blue Willow style with soft yellow accents. There wasn’t any room for a mismatched sign.

This pastel print literally would not match anything, in any of my rooms. My parents never would have known this by my facial reactions. I mustered up the most grateful smile and made vague comments about hanging it as soon as possible. I knew deep down in my heart that I was not going to hang it anywhere.

The gift bag and its contents soon made their way into the storage closet under the garage. I would possibly hang the framed art another day.

Every time my parents visited that home I could tell they were inspecting walls to see where their treasure was hanging. It was nowhere to be found. At the time I told myself that I wasn’t a fan of the style, but in later years realized it was more indicative of my spiritual life. I had tucked my spiritual life away in a storage closet and vowed to use it one day. When needed.

But, didn’t use it for many more years.

The Lord was nowhere to be found in our home during those days. By no means am I suggesting that if we had merely hung the sign that we would still be married. I am acknowledging that the Lord was not the foundation of our home. Sure, our bodies were in church most Sundays but our souls were absent. We didn’t put the Lord first as we should have. We spent more time worrying about the outer appearance of our home and the condition of our yard rather than the true condition of our spiritual lives.

My parents clearly knew the importance of having our house serving the Lord, we just turned a blind eye to that wisdom. I am so grateful that God gave me parents who knew how to build a house on a solid foundation. I am so grateful that my father surrendered his life to the ministry and started following the Lord. Happy Father’s Day to the man who taught us how to be a follower.

“And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the river, or the gods the Amorites in whose land you are living; But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15

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